Fire Wave Sunset

Gallery: LandscapePosted June 26, 2011210 views7 comments

There was this really huge lenticular cloud, the kind that looked like a mothership, hanging in the sky just east of Las Vegas. I watched it for about 150 miles coming down from northern Nevada and it barely moved. It was a good sign and gave me hope that meeting up with David and Aaron at the Fire Wave would prove to be a great evening with great light.

I had time to scout around and check the place out, getting some nice shots here and there. Then the sky blew up and I ran like a crazy person trying to get every comp I could, especially when I remembered the moon was rising at the same time! Got a fairly simple shot of that, too.

It's very hard being in a new place with so much to see and so many possibilities, that when I get some killer light going on like this, I'm like a kid in a candy store! I couldn't get my fill. Thanks again to a couple of very cool dudes, the "Soul Brothers" <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrbarbosa2000/">David</a> and <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/aaronmatney/">Aaron</a> for showing me this fantastic place. Definitely worth a few more trips.

Oh, and the shot is two images manually blended in PS. I'd appreciate your input.

Comments

7 comments

Comment posted by Mohammad Hosseini on June 26, 2011 at 6:11 AM

Jean, sharp FG & BG with interesting cloud. I think it pays for the long drive.

Registered on May 16, 2011, 15 Posts, 301 Comments

Comment posted by Guy Tal on June 26, 2011 at 10:41 AM

I like the soft light in the foreground. It works very well with the beautiful orange clouds. Compositionally, I find the shrub in the lower left corned a little too dominant and needing a little space from the frame borders. In this version, I feel that a crop to a square, leaving out the bottom portion is a bit stronger than the full frame.

Guy

Registered on November 1, 2003, 566 Posts, 15507 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on June 26, 2011 at 1:55 PM

Jean,

Looks like your first post here, so I'd like to welcome you to NPN and the Landscape Gallery! Nice first post with a killer sky over a fascinating landscape.

"It's very hard being in a new place with so much to see and so many possibilities, "
I think there's a lot to be said about that and honestly which is why folks are drawn to the iconic locations so often - and that's because they may have never visited the location and only have a short time there. Here, I think you did an admiral job in finding an interesting landscape to match up with the sky. I do think there is quite a bit going on here and I'm a little unsure about the immediate foreground, especially the plant in the LLC. I'm not sure if cropping off the bottom would help, maybe it's just the positioning of the plant, I'm not quite sure. But for me it throws the balance of the comp off just a little bit. I guess I either want to see more of the foreground sand and details, or less of it and just showcase the sandstone formation and sky. A little nitpicky, but hey, that's what we're here for?

So welcome aboard and we look forward to your images and participation.

Lon

Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on June 26, 2011 at 2:15 PM

Gorgeous colored rocks stunning sky Jean. Looks like you had some beautiful light. I wish the bush in the lower left corner was fully in the frame since those pink flowers work well with the salmon colored rocks. Wonderful scene none the less and a great first post. BTW - Welcome to NPN!

Registered on January 4, 2009, 1015 Posts, 13229 Comments

Comment posted by Jean Day on June 26, 2011 at 5:11 PM

Thanks to you all for the great feedback...so very much appreciated and you nailed it with an issue I tend to have on incorporating more elements than necessary. Thanks for reminding me of what I need to work on and for welcoming me to such a great forum!

Registered on April 10, 2011, 36 Posts, 306 Comments

Comment posted by John Williams on June 26, 2011 at 7:18 PM

Welcome Jean. A blended image as your first post? Very nice! I love all but the bottom third. Moving the camera a bit closer to that awesome sandstone color in the lower center would have been another comp to play with.

Registered on September 6, 2007, 221 Posts, 5985 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on June 26, 2011 at 7:22 PM

Welcome to NPN Jean. A very nice first post too. You captured a great sky with this one. I know that feeling when lots of good things are going on and you are new to the area, kind of overwhelming for sure and it takes a bit to settle down. I do agree with the comments on this so far and just wish for a little more room around the lower left plant.

Look forward to more of your pictures.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments